REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 11, 2024
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to the Participation Agreement for the Behavioral Health Quality Improvement Program with the California Mental Health Services Authority Joint Exercise Powers Authority
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 2 to Participation Agreement No. 22-895 (California Mental Health Services Authority Agreement No. 1297-BHQIP-2022-SBR) for the Behavioral Health Quality Improvement Program to update fiscal provisions, with no change to the contract amount of $203,215 or the agreement period of September 28, 2022 through June 30, 2024.
2. Authorize the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, as the County Mental Health Director, to sign and submit Amendment No. 2 to Participation Agreement No. 22-895 (California Mental Health Services Authority Agreement No. 1297-BHQIP-2022-SBR), to the California Mental Health Services Authority, on behalf of the County.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, as the County Mental Health Director, to transmit the executed Amendment No. 2 to Participation Agreement No. 22-895 (California Mental Health Services Authority Agreement No. 1297-BHQIP-2022-SBR) for the Behavioral Health Quality Improvement Program to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Georgina Yoshioka, Director, 252-5142)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The County’s portion of Participation Agreement No. 22-895 (Agreement) of $203,215 is 100% funded by Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2023-24 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DBH is responsible for providing mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services to San Bernardino County residents experiencing severe mental illness and/or SUD. California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) comprised of California Mental Health Plans that provide administrative and fiscal services for member counties to maximize resources related to the implementation of statewide or multi-county projects, such as statewide Suicide Prevention and Stigma and Discrimination Reduction campaigns. The CalMHSA JPA brings together 50 member counties to act jointly for the development and implementation of behavioral health programs.
California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) is a new initiative spearheaded by the State of California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) that began January 2022 and continues for five years. CalMHSA has been identified as the vendor to work with counties on behalf of DHCS to assist counties in achieving the required objectives. To assist counties in meeting CalAIM objectives, a program called the Behavioral Health Quality Improvement Program (BHQIP) was created to provide counties with monetary incentives. Counties must submit documentation to CalMHSA verifying achievement of the objectives to receive incentive payments.
While much of the support required to achieve the CalAIM objectives, such as the development of policies and procedures, is provided by CalMHSA free of charge, the County will incur some cost. The Agreement for BHQIP allows CalMHSA to assist the County in meeting select milestones which are part of the CalAIM objectives.
On September 27, 2022 (Item No. 24), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Agreement No 22-895 (California Mental Health Services Authority Agreement No. 1297-BHQIP-2022-SBR) with CalMHSA to assist DBH in achieving the required milestones and deliverables for BHQIP in the amount of $203,215, effective upon execution by both parties through June 30, 2024.
On December 19, 2023 (Item No. 23), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to Agreement No 22-895 (California Mental Health Services Authority Agreement No. 1297-BHQIP-2022-SBR) with CalMHSA to allow for the availability of optional Subject Matter Expert services, modifying terms and conditions, and name staff with signature authority to make service hour requests, with no change to the contract amount of $203,215 or the agreement period of September 28, 2022 through June 30, 2024.
Amendment No. 2 to the Agreement will allow all assistance paid from the flexible spending account for costs incurred by DBH to be subject to the 15% administrative fee instead of the total flexible services funds being subject to the 15% administrative fee, and any unused funds from the initial Agreement to be fully reimbursed at the end of the project period is not subject to the 15% administrative fee.
DBH is also requesting approval for the Director of DBH, as the County Mental Health Director, as required by CalMHSA, to sign and submit the amendment to the CalMHSA on behalf of the County. If approved, DBH will transmit the related amendment documents to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Natalie Kessee, Contracts Manager, 388-0869) on May 16, 2024; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 16, 2024; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on May 22, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on May 23, 2024.